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Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Chair Dr. Fred Farias Honored with Mollie Armstrong Award

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The Mollie Armstrong Award is presented to a TOA member optometrist who has been in practice for at least 10 years and has rendered distinguished service to the visual welfare of Texans. Photo By Roberto Hugo González
The Mollie Armstrong Award is presented to a TOA member optometrist who has been in practice for at least 10 years and has rendered distinguished service to the visual welfare of Texans. Photo By Roberto Hugo González
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AUSTIN, TX – Dr. Fred Farias, Chair of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), is the recipient of the 2024 Mollie Armstrong Leadership Award, presented by the Texas Optometric Association (TOA).

The Mollie Armstrong Award is presented to a TOA member optometrist who has been in practice for at least 10 years and has rendered distinguished service to the visual welfare of Texans. The award recognizes optometrists in the profession who have performed a significant public service for the visual welfare of others, educational institutions and organizations, research programs, and civic and community groups.

“I am honored to be recognized by my peers at TOA with this award,” said Dr. Farias. “The opportunity to serve Texans both in my career and through my role on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is incredibly rewarding.”

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The award was presented at the 124th TOA Annual Summit in February.

Dr. Farias, OD, MS, FAAO, has served on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board since 2015 and was appointed chair of the Board by Governor Greg Abbott in June 2021. He is also a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, former president of the TOA and the Rio Grande Valley Optometric Society, and a former member of the American Optometric Association Board of Trustees.

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